Container



Nov. 28, 1944. s R SHEARSTOIQ 2,363,811

CONTAINER Filed Dec. 2l, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet l dem )OV/a INVENTQR. BJ/ann/ za/ WW TTORNEY Nov. 2s, 1944. s, R, SHEARSTON- A 2,363,811

CONTAINER Fi1ed Dec. 21, 1940 5 sheets-sheet 2 l INVENTOR.

TTORNE Y Nov. 2s, 1944.

s. R. lsHEARsToN CONTAINER Filed Dec. :21, 1940 '5 sheets-sheet 3 Patented Nov. 28, 1944 UNITEDy STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTAINER Sears R. Shearston, Miami, Fla.

Application December 21, 1940, Serial No. 371,127 l (Cl. 23S- 1) 9 Claims.

My inventionv relates to Keysort cards, Keysort being the. trade-mark tot designate cards which are provided with a plurality of perforations arranged adjacent one or more edges of a card, each perforation being so disposed that it can be notched or slotted out to the edge of the card. For the purpose of so notching the cards a special machine is constructed such as is shown in United States Letters Patent No. 2,035,777. Any data on the card must be written thereon and there is, no way by which the same may be tabulated exceptk manually. It is highly desirable to have some arrangement by which thedesired data may be printed on the cards, the amount tabulated, and the cards notched. This requires the use of an adding machine for printing and tabulating and a key punch of the type referred. to above.

Inasmuch as there are now on the market standard adding machines and key punches which separately do the work for which they are designed, it is not necessary to manufacture special machines to utilize my invention.

My invention has for its object to construct a container in which can be mounted any one of. the standard adding machines and to provide on said container means for mounting a standard key punch, so as to produce a unitary structure for this purpose.

My means of accomplishing the foregoing objects vmay be more readily understood b-y having reference to the accompanying drawings which are hereunto annexed and made a part of this` speciiication in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved container; y

Fig. 2 is a rear view showing the adding machine in place; and

v Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the rear of the container with the adding machine removed.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the entire specification.

As shown in the drawings. the container I. is provided with abase 2, which is prow'ded with two parallel tracks 3 and 4 on which to slide the adding machine depicted in Fig. 2 into position in order toinsure correct. registration of the keys thereof with perforations 9 in the top wall. Suitable side walls and 6 exend upwardly from the base. The forward edge of the side walls 5 and 6. are preferably connected by a front wall 1, while the rear of the casing is open in order that an adding machine may be placed in position. and conveniently removed when a desired` operation upon thecards has been completed. 'I'he top of the container is defined by an. inclined top wall 8, which is provided with a plurality of openings 9 so located as to register with the keys on the keyboard of a standard adding machine, when it has been slid into correct position upon the parallel tracks 3 and 4. The inclined wall B may be detachably secured to the side and front Walls by means of screws o-r in any other suitable manner. The container of the present application is intended to receive a calculating machine of standard construction, a rear View of which appears in Fig.. 2 of the drawings, and a punching ma- -chine also of standard construction likewise depicted in Fig. 2 of the drawings at the right-hand side. The depressed top wall `8 of the container is provided with a plurality of' openings 9 correspending in position and number with certain of the keys onthe keyboard of the calculating machine. This recessed topi Wallis adapted to re ceive a switching arrangement made up of keys similar in arrangement to those of the calculating machine, each key having a plunger which may be projected through, one of the openings 9 into contact with the corresponding key of the calculating machine itself, thereby depressing such key and actuating the calculating machine. The swiching elements intended to be mounted on the depressed top Wall perform not only the function of actuating the calculating machine, but likewise, through suitable electrical and/or mechanical connections with a standard card punching machine, simultaneously actuates the latter to perfo'rate or notch cards in accordance with the same data that is being tabulated upon the calculating machine.

It is of primary importance that the container oi' the present invention permits the use of existing machines of standard' construction rather than requiring new and special machines. The rails 3 `land 4 carried by the base ofthe container for positioning the calculating machine with respect to the perforated top Wall render it possible to readily install or remove a calculating machine so that it may beused for some of its other normal functions when not required in conjunction with the punching machine. The gap dened by the offset side Walls 5 and l'perrnits ready access to the motor operating bars or keys of a calculating machine ofv the type under consideration. I provide a lateral extension l0. at one side of the container I' toaccommodate the various motor bars of the adding and notching machines. At the other sidecf the container I is; provided a support Il upon which to mount a standard key punch. Provision, comprising suitablev slots, not

shown, may be made to receive the card and to permit it to pass to and from the punching and printing mechanisms in order that the desired data may be readily printed thereon to correspond with the notches formed by suitable standard key punches in the well known manner.

The operation of the device is as follows:

A standard adding machine, as indicated in Fig. 2j provided with the usual keyboard, is placed upon the tracks 3 and 4 and pushed in between the side walls 5 and 6 until the keys are in register with the perforations 9 in the top Wall 8. The inclination of this wall preferably should coincide with the inclination of the keys of the keyboard of the adding machine. A notchi'ng machine such as that shown in the Welk Patent No. 2,035,777, before referred to is then placed on the extension Il with its card receiving slot con- -veniently arranged to print and notch cards simultaneously with the operation of the calculating machine. It will be clear from the foregoing that my container does not require the use of any special machines but to the contrary, is designed so that standard machines can be used.

It will also be clear from the foregoing description that I have constructed a unitary structure suitable to hold in proper relation the two machines to be utilized in the manner set forth.

Having described my invention what I regard as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A container adapted to support in a predetermined position a calculating machine having an inclined keyboard fitted with a plurality of keys, said container comprising a base, side walls, a front wall anda top wall, saidvtop wall being inclined at an angle to correspond with the inclination of the keyboard of said calculating machine, said top wall containing a plurality of openings registering with and corresponding in number to certain of the keys of said machine, whereby said keys may be selectively depressed from the exterior of said container.

2. A container adapted to support in a prede-- termined position a calculating machine having an inclined keyboard fitted with a plurality of keys, said container comprising a base, side Walls, a front wall and a top wall, said top wall being inclined at an angle to correspond with the inclination of the keyboard of said calculating machine, said base providing positioning means for said machine, said top wall containing a plurality of openings registering lwith and corresponding in number to certain of the keys of said machine, whereby said keys may be depressed from the exterior of said container.

3. A container adapted to support in a predetermined position a calculating machine having an inclined keyboard fitted with a plurality of keys, said container comprising a base, side walls, a iront wall and a top wall, said top wall being recessed below the upper edges of said iront and side walls and inclined at an angle to correspond with the inclination of the keyboard of said calculating machine, said top wall containing a plurality of openings registering with and corresponding in number to certain of the keys of said machine, whereby said keys may be depressed from the exterior of said container.

fl. A container adapted to support in a predetermined position a calculating machine having an inclined keyboard iitted with a plurality of keys, said container comprising a base, side walls, a iront wall and a top wall,` said top wall being inclined at an angle to correspond with the inclination of the keyboard of said calculating machine, rails on said base for positioning said machine with respect to said top wall, said top` wall containing a plurality of openings registering with and corresponding in number to certain of the keys of said machine, whereby said keys may be depressed from the exterior of said container.

5. A container adapted to support in a predetermined position a calculating machine having an inclined keyboard fitted with a plurality of keys, said container comprising a base, side walls, a front wall and a top wall, said top wall being inclined at an angle to correspond with the inclination of the keyboard of said calculating machine, said top wall containing a plurality of openings registering with and corresponding in number to certain of the keys of said machine, whereby said keys may be depressed from the exterior of said container, a portion of said base extending beyond said side walls.

6. A container adapted to support in a predetermined position a calculating machine having an inclined keyboard iitted with a plurality of keys, said container comprising a base, side Walls, a front wall and a top wall, said top Wall being inclined at an angle to correspond with the inclination of the keyboard of said calculating machine, said top wall containing a plurality of openings lregistering with and corresponding in number to certain of the keys of said machine, whereby said keys may be depressed from the exterior of said container, and an extension of said base beyond said top wall to permit access to a control element of said machine.

7. A unitary mounting structure for a calculating and a punching machine comprising an elongated base, one end of which is adapted for the mounting of a punching machine, the other end of the base having a pair of side walls extending upward therefrom, a front wall connecting said side walls, an inclined top Wall having a plurality of openings therethrough at spaced intervals detachably secured between the front and side walls, and positioning means on the base for holding a calculating machine beneath the top wall.

8. A unitary mounting structure for a calculating and a key punch machine comprising a base, one end of which is adapted for the mounting of a key punch machine, the other end of the base having a pair of side Walls extending upward therefrom, a front wall connecting said side walls, a top Wall having a plurality of openings therethrough at spaced intervals fastened between the front and side walls, and a pair of parallel tracks mounted on the base beneath said top wall whereby a calculating machine can be positioned in alignment with respect to the openings in the top wall.

9. A unitary mounting structure for a calculating and a card punching machine comprising an elongated base, one end of which is adapted for the mounting of a punching machine, the other end of the base having apair of side Walls extending upward therefrom, a front wall connecting said side walls, a-n inclined top wall having a plurality of openings therethroughat spaced intervals positioned between the front and side walls, positioning means on the base for holding a calculating machine in alignment with the openings in the top wall, and an opening formed between said top wall and one of said side walls providing access to the controls of the calculating machine when it is in position beneath the said top wall.

SEARS R. SHEARSTON. 

